[DeTomaso] Flare fitting question

[Tom Shinrock]

Well my A/C condenser was delivered on Wednesday (thanks again to Ken Green) and I hooked it up that afternoon.  I had the system charged up with R-12 yesterday.


The shop said the car held vacuum for half a day.   It was 84 deg and sunny when they charged it and they said they were seeing 29 deg air at the vents.   When I made the short drive home, I was seeing 19 deg air at the vents.  I was in hog heaven thinking that I've finally cracked the nut on my A/C.

I parked the car and proceeded to wipe off all the dust that had accumulated on it over the last six weeks I've been waiting to get the condenser.  After I finished the outside of the car I went to wipe down the engine bay (it's painted).  I saw some very small droplets of something on the edge of the fan shroud next to the condenser fitting and when I went to wipe them off I could hear a faint hissing sound.  I called the shop and informed them of the sound and they said bring the car back.  

Side note.....My car had an aftermarket condenser on it when I bought it which had the top fitting coming straight out of the condenser (pointing to the right side of car).  The prior owner had routed the A/C hoses through the wheel wells so the hose fitting was made to mate up with the top fitting coming straight out of the condenser.  

The "OEM" condenser that Classic Condenser Specialists sells has the top fitting of the condenser turned down.  I didn't have enough hose length to get to this down turned fitting, so when I had the original condenser (that leaked) installed, the shop purchased a 90 degree AN connector to get from the down turned fitting on the condenser to my straight shot hose.

When I got back to the shop (about a ten minute drive) we opened the deck lid and there was oil all over the AN connector where it connects to the condenser.  They quickly sucked out the remaining R-12 and proceeded to look at the AN connector.  At first they thought the connector failed put when they unscrewed if from the condenser they saw the the condenser fitting had a flare that was not what they expected to see.  At the end of the flare there is a shoulder at the end with an O ring behind it.  They wondered why it wasn't a straight flare.  By the way, the bottom condenser fitting was a straight flare.

I attached a picture of the flare in question.  Can anybody tell me what type of connector I need to match this fitting?   I'm going to try and get CCS to answer the phone and tell me what type of connector I need but they haven't been answering my calls lately.

I'm still mystified why the system would hold vacuum and not show the leak.  If I can solve my leaking connector problem, I think I'm home free.

Thanks 

Tom
5186



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   Well my A/C condenser was delivered on Wednesday (thanks again to Ken
   Green) and I hooked it up that afternoon.  I had the system charged up
   with R-12 yesterday.
   The shop said the car held vacuum for half a day.   It was 84 deg and
   sunny when they charged it and they said they were seeing 29 deg air at
   the vents.   When I made the short drive home, I was seeing 19 deg air
   at the vents.  I was in hog heaven thinking that I've finally cracked
   the nut on my A/C.
   I parked the car and proceeded to wipe off all the dust that had
   accumulated on it over the last six weeks I've been waiting to get the
   condenser.  After I finished the outside of the car I went to wipe down
   the engine bay (it's painted).  I saw some very small droplets of
   something on the edge of the fan shroud next to the condenser fitting
   and when I went to wipe them off I could hear a faint hissing sound.  I
   called the shop and informed them of the sound and they said bring the
   car back.
   Side note.....My car had an aftermarket condenser on it when I bought
   it which had the top fitting coming straight out of the condenser
   (pointing to the right side of car).  The prior owner had routed the
   A/C hoses through the wheel wells so the hose fitting was made to mate
   up with the top fitting coming straight out of the condenser.
   The "OEM" condenser that Classic Condenser Specialists sells has the
   top fitting of the condenser turned down.  I didn't have enough hose
   length to get to this down turned fitting, so when I had the original
   condenser (that leaked) installed, the shop purchased a 90 degree AN
   connector to get from the down turned fitting on the condenser to my
   straight shot hose.
   When I got back to the shop (about a ten minute drive) we opened the
   deck lid and there was oil all over the AN connector where it connects
   to the condenser.  They quickly sucked out the remaining R-12 and
   proceeded to look at the AN connector.  At first they thought the
   connector failed put when they unscrewed if from the condenser they saw
   the the condenser fitting had a flare that was not what they expected
   to see.  At the end of the flare there is a shoulder at the end with an
   O ring behind it.  They wondered why it wasn't a straight flare.  By
   the way, the bottom condenser fitting was a straight flare.
   I attached a picture of the flare in question.  Can anybody tell me
   what type of connector I need to match this fitting?   I'm going to try
   and get CCS to answer the phone and tell me what type of connector I
   need but they haven't been answering my calls lately.
   I'm still mystified why the system would hold vacuum and not show the
   leak.  If I can solve my leaking connector problem, I think I'm home
   free.
   Thanks
   Tom
   5186
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